General Election: Huge shock in North Antrim, as Sinn Fein becomes NI's largest Westminster party
A total of 18 MPs will represent their constituencies at Westminster
Last updated 5th Jul 2024
The General Election results in Northern Ireland are finally in -and one of the biggest shocks of the night was TUV leader Jim Allister taking the North Antrim seat, long held by the DUP's Ian Paisley..
Mr Allister said: "There is no escaping the fact that there has been a political earthquake in North Antrim of seismic proportions.
"Today, we mark an occasion when, after 54 years of DUP and Ian Paisley dynasty, North Antrim has taken an alternative course."
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP has said the General Election result is not what his party had wanted.
The unionist party lost hold of seats in Lagan Valley, South Antrim and Northern Ireland as well as its position as the Northern Ireland party with the largest representation at Westminster.
Mr Robinson said: "The outcome of this election is not what we had wanted and we must be realistic about the significant job of work ahead to get unionism into a stronger and more strategic position." He added: "While unionism went into this election with eight seats and comes out with eight seats, we can never again see a situation where pro-union voters are so divided that seats are lost to those who will not promote the union.
"I am pledged to work for greater cohesion within the pro-union movement. In North Down it has been demonstrated what can be achieved with co-operation, allied to a strong work ethic.
"Having unilaterally taken the decision to support Alex Easton, as well as Diane Armstrong in Fermanagh/South Tyrone, there is no doubt that the unionist influence can be advanced. In truth the result in North Down demonstrated what is possible when unionists work together and the result in Lagan Valley demonstrated the cost of division.
"The combined nationalist vote in 1998 was around 40% and last night it was again around 40%. There has been no groundswell of support for a border poll as some within Sinn Fein would claim."
Overall then, Sinn Fein was the big winner - taking seven seats; the DUP have five; SDLP, two; UUP, one; Alliance, one, TUV, one and Independent, one.
Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy said: "I think that the result last night confirms the degree of change that has been happening over our society for a number of years now.
"What we want to see is an honest and a structured dialogue in relation to what the future holds. And that is one in which everyone has a say, that everyone's rights and entitlements are protected.
"But we can't not recognise the change that's happening. And that's what we've been about and that's what many in the nationalist community and broader than the nationalist community in terms of dialogue have been about over the last number of years.
"We want to see an Irish government involved in that - to structure that dialogue, to give the reassurances, to discuss the issues and that will inevitably be part of a degree of change, constitutional change on the island.
"I get that that is a conversation which does concern some, but I think you know the idea of putting our head in the sand and not recognising the change that's happening does a disservice to the entire community. And I would hope that more and more people from the unionist population become involved in that discussion, make sure that their voices are heard in relation to it, and help us help all of the rest of the people of the island shape the future in a very positive way."
The last MP to be declared on the night - after their recount - was the DUP's Greogory Campbell who retained his East Londonderry seat.
The first MP declared was Sinn Fein's Cathal Mallaghan who took the seat in Mid-Ulster.
Mr Mallaghan, who received 24,085 votes, pledged to work "hard every day".
"Sinn Fein went in to this campaign asking people to endorse strong leadership and positive change and a commitment to work for all," he said at Magherafelt count centre.
"People in Mid Ulster have voted for decisions about their lives and their future to be made here, at home in Ireland.
"They have rejected 14 years of British Tory cuts.
"My commitment as Mid Ulster MP is to work hard every day to deliver on the things that matter to workers, families and to businesses in our community.
"This is something I have done as a councillor, a role that I loved and enjoyed for 13 years.
"This Mid Ulster community is strong when it works together. We have seen our strength when we set shared goals and objectives and as an MP, I hope to take those skills and relationships to further improve the quality of life for everyone who calls this place home."
In one of the most closely-fought battlegrounds - Fermanagh and South Tyrone - Sinn Fein's Pat Cullen, once the Royal College of Nursing's UK General Secretary and Chief Executive, took the seat ahead of the Ulster Unionist Party candidate Diana Armstrong.
She vowed to put her "both feet forward" in her new role as the MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
Once the UK's most marginal seat - decided by just 57 votes in 2019 - there were more than 4,000 votes between Ms Cullen, the former head of the Royal College of Nursing union, and Ulster Unionist Party candidate Diana Armstrong.
Polling 24,844 votes, Ms Cullen saw off Ms Armstrong by 4,571 votes with the UUP candidate gaining 20,273 votes.
Ms Cullen increased the vote share of her predecessor, Michelle Gildernew, who polled 21,986 in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Alliance Party's Sorcha Eastwood has defeated the DUP in Lagan Valley, the seat formerly held by ex-DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.
She beat the DUP's Jonathan Buckley to the seat.
Ms Eastwood said: "It's a fantastic night for us, but it's also a fantastic night for the people of Lagan Valley."
"I'm a Lagan Valley girl born and bred, and this has been in our heart for a long time and I'm just delighted," the Lagan Valley candidate said.
She said it was a "huge" moment for the party, for her and her community.
"We've always taken a vote from right across the community, that's what we've done tonight, and we've done it really well," she said, thanking the Alliance team in the constituency.
She said she was "extremely disappointed" that Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry looks likely to lose his North Down seat..
Elsewhere, the DUP's Carla Lockhart retained her seat in Upper Bann while party leader Gavin Robinson won East Belfast ahead of Alliance Party leader Naomi Long.
He said his performance in East Belfast was one that reflects "not only the political campaign our team has run in east Belfast but also in recognition of the people who in this election have come out to vote or come out to vote for the first time in a long time".
Mr Robinson said he was "incredibly proud" of the DUP's candidate in Lagan Valley, Jonathan Buckley, and said the result was a consequence of "divided unionism".
"In constituencies right across Northern Ireland you can see the consequences of divided unionism," he said.
He said Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer "is somebody we have done business with, Keir Starmer is somebody we have a good relationship with", calling Labour's victory an "extraordinary" outcome.
In Newry and Armagh, Sinn Fein's Dáire Hughes won the seat while party colleague Órfhlaith Begley took the seat in West Tyrone.
Meanwhile, in East Antrim, the DUP's Sammy Wilson retained his seat.
In addition, Sinn Fein's John Finucane was re-elected as an MP for Belfast North and Independent candidate Alex Easton won North Down, taking the seat from Alliance's Stephen Farry.
Jim Shannon, meantime, retained his seat in Strangford.
Sinn Fein's Chris Hazzard said his increased winning margin in South Down was an endorsement of political campaigns being fought "on the ground", rather than on social media.
In 2019 the SDLP came within 1,600 votes of unseating Mr Hazzard. This time he had a majority of more than 9,000, polling 19,698 votes against 10,418 for Colin McGrath of the SDLP.
The result saw Mr Hazzard, who does not take his seat at Westminster due to his party's abstentionist policy, returned as MP for the third time.
Among the last MPs to win a seat was former Health Minister Robin Swann in South Antrim with SDLP leader Colum Eastwood retaining Foyle.
The SDLP leader won a majority of just over 4,000 and was elected as an MP with 15,647 of the valid poll.
However, it was a far cry from the huge swing of 18% Mr Eastwood secured in 2019.
Foyle has been traditionally a SDLP stronghold, with three party leaders, including Mr Eastwood, Mark Durkan and John Hume representing the constituency.
It has been seen as the safest constituency for the party, and Mr Eastwood was relieved to be returned as MP for the area.
Speaking after his election at Magherafelt count centre, he said: "I'm very grateful, mostly to the people of Derry, who have once again said that they want their voice to be heard in Westminster."
Sinn Fein's Paul Maskey has romped home in West Belfast and, as this was the final seat declared at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, he quipped "they kept the best to last - and quite clearly West Belfast is the best".
There was never any fear of Mr Maskey losing his seat and he secured a whopping 21,009 votes.
Gerry Carroll, of People Before Profit, was his closest competitor with 5,048 votes, followed by the SDLP's Paul Doherty with 4,318 votes.
The Alliance's Sorcha Eastwood elected in Lagan Valley
